5. Would you like to meet him outside the institution? (cont.)

They remained with the Messenger of Allah  until he entered his home, wore his battle gear and came out to the people. When they saw him dressed up in battle gear, they began to regret their suggestion and felt that perhaps they had forced the Prophet  into going out of Madinah to fight.They said,“O Messenger of Allah, stay in Madinah if you wish. It is your decision, after all.” The Prophet  said to them, “It is not befitting for a Prophet to take off his battle gear after wearing it, until Allah has decided between him and his enemies.” When Abu Sufyan arrived at the foot of Mount Uhud, those Muslims who had not participated in Badr rejoiced upon seeing the enemy. They said, “Allah has brought near to us our wish49 Be a mountain es!” The Prophet  then said to his Companions, “Who can lead us to where the enemy is through a short passage that does not pass by them?” A man from Banu Harithah bin al-Harith, known as Abu Khaythamah said, “I will, O Messenger of Allah!” He took the Muslims through Banu Harithah’s land, properties and farms until he passed by the fields of a man called Marba’ bin Qaydhi. He was a blind hypocrite. When he realised that the Messenger of Allah  along with the Muslims are passing by he began to throw dust in their faces, saying, “If you are the Messenger of Allah, then I do not allow you to enter my fields!” The wretched man then took a handful of sand and said, “By Allah, if I knew for sure that I wouldn’t strike anyone else but you with this, I would have thrown it in your face!” When the Companions heard this, they rushed to attack him to teach him a lesson, but the Prophet  said, “Do not kill him. He is blind − blind in the heart and in the eyes.” Thus, the Prophet  moved on and did not look back at the hypocrite because the Prophet  was sedate, wise and intelligent, such that he would not look back at foolish people, nor get aggravated by the worthless. Conviction… The wind never moves a mountain, but it plays with sand, shaping it as it wishes. Be a mountain (50) Do not curse him because he drinks alcohol! Most of the people with whom we mix, no matter how evil they may be, will always have some good in them, even if it be relatively little. In such cases, if we are able to access their good qualities, then that is for the best. A criminal may be known for climbing over into people’s houses and stealing their property in order to give some of it to the destitute and the orphans, or even to build mosques therewith! Likewise a woman may see some orphans starving, so she fornicates to earn some money to stave their hunger, or a person carrying a knife to stab someone, then he sees a child or a woman, and his heart melts so he drops the knife! Therefore, you should deal with the people in accordance with what you know of good from them, before thinking badly of them. Our beloved Prophet, Muhammad  was known for his character of making excuses for those who err, and thinking good of those who sin. When he would come across a sinful person, he would first look at the aspects of his faith, then look at the aspects of his whims and disobedience. He would not have bad thoughts about anyone. He would treat them all as his own sons and brothers. A man at the time of the Prophet  was an alcoholic. Once he was brought to the Prophet  in drunken state, and it was decreed that he be lashed. After a few days, he was caught drinking again, and was brought to the Prophet  and lashed. After a few days he was caught yet again drinking alcohol, and brought to the Prophet  and lashed. After being lashed, when he turned to leave, a person from the Companions said, “May Allah curse him! How often he has come here to be lashed!” The Prophet  turned to him whilst his complexion had visibly changed, and said, “Do not curse him! By Allah, I know that he loves Allah and His Messenger!” (al-Bukhari and Muslim) When you deal with people, be just. Remember the good that they have, and make them feel that their evil has not made you forget their good. This will bring them closer to you. Art… Before you begin to uproot the ‘tree of evil’ in others, look for the ‘tree of good’ and water it… Do not curse him because he drinks alcohol! (51) If what you desire does not happen, then desire that which does If you are obliged to do something or forced into a situation then you might as well enjoy it!. This is what I used to say to a young man who had diabetes.